In The News: Supplementing Their Way Through The Recession

I'm slightly alarmed by this New York Times article that details the surge in supplement and multivitamin sales since last October's infamous stock market crash.

"Sales of vitamins and nutritional supplements, which have grown consistently for years, have surged in recent months. The Vitamin Shoppe has tracked a rise in new customers of about 20 percent over the last six months," the paper reports.

Facing unemployment and rising healthcare costs, some of the consumers interviewed for the piece are turning to echinacea, oregano oil capsules, and protein supplements to stay healthy.

One woman even repeats a classic myth, explaining how "energetic" and "strong" she feels as a result of taking vitamins.

Eek! I am most disturbed by the notion that people in financial hardship are throwing away their money on products that have not been shown to promote health.

The vast majority of studies on echinacea, for example, have not shown much of a benefit compared to a placebo.

Oregano oil? There have been no human studies, and at best it is touted as a way to possibly, perhaps, maybe minimize the symptoms of sinus infections.

Protein supplements, meanwhile, have absolutely nothing to do with health.

As I have said before, there is no reason why anyone consuming enough calories from many food groups should be concerned with getting more protein.

And then there's this: "Amy Breslin, who is 33 and studying to be a physician’s assistant, has pared back on fresh fruits and vegetables and stocked up instead on fish oil capsules and antioxidant supplements."

Her reasoning? Organics are expensive, so she gets a better "bang for her buck" with capsules and supplements.

I hear this line of logic many times. Here are my problems with it:

* While the lack of pesticides used in organic farming is wonderful , conventional fruits and vegetables offer plenty of nutrition. Many people erroneously think that conventional produce is akin to eating rat poison.

* Fish oil capsules and antioxidant supplements do not offer the same health benefits as eating actual fish and produce.

* Eating fruits and vegetables does not need to be expensive. Store-brand frozen fruits and vegetables are inexpensive.

Many people also forget that one of the most important things you can do for your immune system is FREE -- get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night!

In any case, I need to send my crystal ball in for repairs. A few months ago I "predicted" to friends that The Vitamin Shoppe and/or GNC would suffer as a result of the recession.

You Ask, I Answer: Grapes vs. Wine

Out of curiosity, how many grapes would someone have to eat to equal a serving (how many ounces is that?) of wine?

Also, is grape juice just as healthy as wine?

-- Patricia (last name unknown)
Berkeley, CA

Is it only red grapes that offer health benefits?

-- "WifeMomChocoholic"
Via the blog

As I mentioned in a previous post, the same buzz-worthy components in red wine are available in red grapes. One slight exception to the rule is resveratrol, which is simply more concentrated in wine.

One reason you don't hear quite as much about white wine, by the way, is because the production process separates the grape's flesh from the skin (for red wine, the whole fruit is used).

If you want to talk numbers, your average bottle of wine is made from approximately 600 grapes.

Now, let's do some math.

A standard wine bottle contains roughly 25 ounces. According to MyPyramid guidelines, one serving of wine is equal to 5 ounces.

Therefore, one serving of wine contains 120 grapes. That helps us better understand the recommendations of drinking, rather than eating, the fruit.

That is not to say, of course, that you need to eat 120 grapes to get health benefits (FYI -- one serving of fresh grapes is made up of 15 individual pieces).

As far as grape juice is concerned -- the health benefits are not quite up to those of wine.

Remember, the vast majority of grape juices are made from concentrate (which is largely made up of the naturally-occurring sugars). Consequently, a lot of the polyphenols and antioxidants found in grape skins do not make it to the final product.

Although red wine (and, therefore, red grapes) offers a wider variety of healthful components in larger amounts, don't cast off white grapes. Even though white wine is not made from grape skins, the fruit's flesh offers a fair share of polyphenols and antioxidants.

You Ask, I Answer: Wild Blueberries

Are wild blueberries more nutritious than regular blueberries?

-- Sophia Durbitry
[Location withheld]

The main differences between wild blueberries and "regular" (planted) blueberries are their size (wild blueberries are smaller) and taste (wild blueberries are tangier and a little sweeter).

From a nutritional standpoint, there isn't a huge difference.

Wild blueberries are reported to have higher levels of antioxidants, but I wonder if that is simply because they are smaller in size (a half cup of wild blueberries contains almost twice as much individual berries as half a cup of cultivated blueberries).

Even if, ounce by ounce, the wild variety is higher in antioxidants, cultivated blueberries already contain a wide array.

Incorporating blueberries -- wild or otherwise -- into your diet is a great move. As the popular idiom suggests, "don't sweat the small stuff."

You Ask, I Answer: Tea & Coffee

I've read a lot about the supposed health benefits of tea (especially green) and coffee [in regards to] cancer, heart disease, and Parkinson's disease [risk].

Any hard data on this?

[If so, do the health benefits] apply to all kinds of teas and coffees?

What about decaf varieties?

-- Corey Clark
(location withheld)

There is plenty of data in the scientific literature showing the health benefits of coffee.

Coffee beans contain a wide array of antioxidants, polyphenols, and health-promoting compounds.

Consistent consumption of 16 to 24 ounces of coffee a day has been linked with decreased risk of Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, the antioxidants in coffee have been shown to reduce inflammation and inhibit cellular tumor growth.

What these studies basically show is that healthy individuals (these recommendations do not apply to pregnant women) who drink coffee regularly do not need to be concerned with cutting it out of their diet for health reasons.

That said, some percent of the population is sensitive to caffeine, so they are wise to avoid it.

Luckily, both caffeinated AND decaffeinated coffees and teas share the same amount of flavonoids and antioxidants.

Speaking of teas, all varieties (green, white, and black) offer plenty of flavonoids and antioxidants. Herbal teas, however, offer significantly lower amounts.

The biggest issue with these beverages is what people are putting into them (syrups, tablespoon upon tablespoon of sugar, mounds of whipped cream, etc.) that often turns them into calorie, sugar, and fat-laden drinks that do more harm than good.

Numbers Game: Answer

Apple skins contain approximately 65 percent of the fruit's fiber content.

They also contain 100 percent of an apple's quercetin content.

Quercetin is a phytochemical that has been linked with tumor cell inhibition, lower rates of cell proliferation in some cancers, and decreased levels of platelet aggregation (one of the factors behind heart disease.)

This is why I shed a silent tear whenever I see someone peel an apple and only eat the flesh.

FYI: When buying fruits with edible skins, my personal preference is to purchase organic varieties if possible.

Although quercetin can be purchased as a supplement by itself, remember that isolated phytonutrients are nowhere near as effective as when they work in tandem with other phytonutrients and antioxidants.

A medium-sized apple, for example, contains approximately 2,000 phytonutrients!

You Ask, I Answer: Cocoa

I always buy Hershey's Cocoa (natural unsweetened) in the 8 oz. container.

When I asked my husband to get some more, he came home with a package that was more expensive looking and said on the front: Hershey's Cocoa (100% cacao) and in a pretty section, red background, gold letters: "SPECIAL DARK [trademark symbol] A BLEND OF NATURAL AND DUTCHED COCOAS."

The ingredients list for the former product reads: cocoa (there is a U in a circle, no idea what that means).

The new product list reads: cocoa, cocoa processed with alkali.

They do include in the fine print on the side of the package the statement that "...HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa provides fewer antioxidants than HERSHEY'S Natural Unsweetened Cocoa.)

What is going on?

-- Maria (last name withheld)
(city withheld), AZ

The first distinction that needs to be made here is between cocoa powder and chocolate; too many people get them confused!

In order to make cocoa powder, cocoa beans are first fermented, roasted, and shelled.

Inside that shell are cacao nibs, which undergo a heated grinding process to be converted into a liquid known as chocolate liquor (a misnomer, since it contains no alcohol.)

Chocolate liquor is then divided into cocoa butter and cocoa solids via compression.

The grinding of cocoa solids results in cocoa powder, which is naturally fat-free (as a result of being separated from cocoa butter) and sugar-free.

This is all very different from chocolate -- which, at its most basic, is a combination of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, milk, and sugar.

Let's now talk about the difference in the two products you mention.

The standard 8-ounce container of cocoa you buy is pure cocoa powder.

The special variety your husband bought is a mixture of the cocoa powder sold in the 8-ounce container and some Dutched cocoa (cocoa powder that is mixed with an alkali in order to remove some of its acidity and bitterness.)

Since the processing of Dutch cocoa results in a loss of antioxidants and flavonoids, the fine print on the "Special Dark" product makes perfect sense.

In order to get the most benefit from the antioxidants and flavonoids in cocoa powder, have it in its natural form.

One suggestion? Make a smoothie with your milk of choice (dairy, soy, nut, etc.), one ripe medium banana, and a tablespoon of cocoa powder.

Or plug in your food processor and try my no-bake "brownie" recipe!

As for that U symbol -- it simply means the product is certified kosher.

You Ask, I Answer: White Vegetables

Last night there was a nutritionist on the news talking about how the more color a vegetable has, the healthier it is for you.

For example, she recommended buying peppers that are dark red instead of light red.

Does all this mean that white vegetables (like cauliflowers and onions) have the least amount of nutrients?

-- Damian Handster
(location withheld)

Not at all.

Many people erroneously think that white is not a color -- it most certainly is!

Therefore, white vegetables offer many health benefits.

Onions and garlic, for instance, contain organosulfur compounds that appear promising for blood pressure and reduced blood clotting.

Cauliflower is in the same family of vegetables as broccoli, meaning it is also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folatee.

Like broccoli, cauliflower also contains glucosinolates, sulfur-containing compounds that have been shown to help decrease the risk of certain cancers.

Turnips, another white vegetable, also provide their share of nutrition.

And don't forget mushrooms -- the white button variety offers a wider variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants than cremini or portabella.

You Ask, I Answer: Honey

I have heard claims that honey is an "immune enhancer" and was wondering what your thoughts are on that.

-- Dennise O'Grady
Bay Head, NJ

Those types of claims bother me because they are so vague.

What, exactly, does the term "immune enhancer" mean? For example, is a fruit drink chock full of sugar but fortified with a day's worth of Vitamin C more of an "immune enhancer" than a fruit containing a quarter of a day's worth of the vitamin?

It is true that, due to its antimicrobial and enzymatic properties, honey can be helpful when dealing with certain conditions, like sore throats.

Similarly, it can be useful -- albeit messy -- for treating external wounds like scrapes and burns.

However, extrapolating that information and claiming honey works wonders for the entire immune system is quite a stretch.

Besides, I take issue with attributing health properties to sweeteners because it encourages their abundant consumption.

I find it very irresponsible when self-proclaimed "nutrition experts" point out that honey contains vitamin C, and forget to mention that to get just three percent of the vitamin C daily value, you need to consume an entire cup of honey.

That's 1,031 calories!

That cup of honey also contains five percent of the daily value of zinc and a measly two percent of the daily magnesium requirement.

Ironically, these are two minerals that many honey-pushing "holistic experts" provide as "proof" that honey is "better" than sugar.

I can't bring myself to get excited over a food that barely delivers two percent of the daily value of most vitamins and minerals in a half cup (515 calories).

In my mind, honey is simply another sweetener. If you like it in your tea in place of sugar, there is no reason why you should stop consuming it.

If you are specifically looking to boost your immune system, though, I suggest you simply focus on the basics -- get enough sleep, be as physically active as you can, and limit nutritionally void junk food.

You Ask, I Answer: Urinary Tract Infections & Cranberry Juice

I was just told to drink cranberry juice to help treat a UTI.

The nurse said the juice's acidity [would help].

This confused me because I thought that food from the stomach is neutralized by a base before getting digested in the small intestine, so it wouldn't matter how acidic foods are to begin with.

So, is there any reason to drink cranberry juice for a UTI?

I'm cautious because all of the juice brands I've seen at stores have a lot of sugar, and drinking cranberry juice needlessly seems like a way to ingest a lot of empty calories.

-- Christine (last name unknown)
Via the blog

Lots to cover here.

Does cranberry juice play a role in preventing and treating urinary tract infections? Yes, but it has nothing to do with the fruit's acidity.

Cranberries -- and blueberries, for that matter -- contain an antioxidant known as proanthocyanidin.

This just so happens to also be the flavonoid that gives these two berries their unique pigments.

Several studies (mostly conducted over the past five years) have concluded that this phytochemical inhibits certain bacteria from adhering to the cell membranes of the cells lining the walls of the bladder.

By not being able to stick to these cells, bacteria have no chance to claim land, play house, and set off an infection.

The majority of the research on these components in cranberries and their relationship to urinary tract infections has mainly focused on prevention.

This is not to say, however, you are wasting your time by using cranberry juice in your treatment.

In fact, cranberries' anti-adherent properties against pesky bacteria can be a great complement to the 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water you should be drinking every day day to help flush out said organisms.

The key, though, is to drink PURE cranberry juice -- usually found at select health food stores.

This means cranberry "juice drinks," "cranberry-based fruit cocktails," "cranberry energy water" will not be of much help.

Since that can be quite bitter medicine to swallow (despite there being no official dosage, most recommendations call for anywhere from 8 to 16 ounces per day), you may opt for concentrated cranberry extract pills (which have been used in several clinical trials.)

Then again, since no government agency regulates supplements, you always run the risk of buying an extract pill that, for all you know, offers a tenth of the dosage it claims on its label.

You Ask, I Answer: Broccoli

Is it true that all the nutrition in broccoli is only contained in the florets and that the stalks are nutritionally equivalent to iceberg lettuce?

-- Paul Dwilin
Boston, MA

Insert loud buzzer sound HERE.

That is 100 percent incorrect.

Although broccoli florets house most of the vegetable's phytochemicals and antioxidants, the stalks make their fair share of contributions.

That's where you'll find higher concentrations of vitamin C, fiber, and folate.

Always aim to use as much of a fruit or vegetable as you can. This means eating apple peels, sweet potato skins, and broccoli stalks!

In The News: Eat Food, Not Vitamins

I fear how some members of the mainstream media will report on the latest finding from the Physicians Health Study that "Vitamin C or E pills do not help prevent cancer in men."

I certainly hope I don't come across any "why oranges may not be as healthy as you might think," teasers on any news shows.

I am actually quite glad these well-publicized studies are arriving at these firm conclusions.

They make it absolutely clear that simply isolating nutrients in pill form and downing them with a glass of water every morning has very little to do with disease risk reduction.

In fact, this is precisely why dietitians have been recommending the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains for decades.

It is not just one vitamin or mineral that helps lower disease risk.

Rather, it is the interaction and interplay between vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polyphenols, and other compounds in food that provide health benefits. An orange is much more than vitamin C in a refreshing package.

Don't expect the multivitamin companies to let you in on that tidbit anytime soon.

Food For Thought -- Literally!

Kellogg's has just launched Live Bright -- a "brain health bar."

What leads them to make this claim? The inclusion -- through fortification, of course -- of 100 milligrams of DocosaHexaenoic Acid (DHA, the same Omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines.)

This is a perfect example of nutrient isolation gone awry.

Does DHA play a role in cognitive health? It very much appears that way.

Then again, so do vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, zinc, iron, and a variety of polyphenols and antioxidants.

In other words -- orange juice companies and blueberry farmers could, I suppose, also make brain health claims.

As could the most sugary of cereals, for that matter, as long as it is fortified with the above mentioned nutrients.

These types of health claims end up having very little meaning because they make up only portion of the total puzzle.

While DHA can help with cognitive health, so does maintaining a healthy weight, keeping blood pressure at desired levels, and limiting saturated fat intake (neuroscience research studies have shown a link between high saturated fat intake and a decline in cognitive function over time.)

Including one of these bars in a diet generally low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains -- and high in saturated fat and sodium -- isn't going to be much help.

If you're going to reach for a DHA fortified food, I would rather you pick up DHA fortified eggs, which contain a superior nutritional profile to what is, essentially, a candy bar.

Buyer, Beware (And Be Smart)!

The latest video on the Small Bites YouTube channel discusses four popular deceptive advertising techniques relating to nutrition:

--> "A daily dose of antioxidants."
--> "Cholesterol-free"
--> "0 grams of trans fat per serving!"
--> "Made with fruit"

Once you're familiar with these tricks, you won't be a sucker at the supermarket!

You Ask, I Answer: Chocolate Processed With Alkali

Sometimes I see "chocolate (processed with alkali)" as an ingredient on food labels.

What is that all about?

-- (Name Withheld)
Brooklyn, NY

Processing chocolate with alkali is known as the "Dutch method."

Take note, dear readers: any chocolate product labeled "Dutch chocolate" is not making reference to the cocoa beans' origin, but rather to this very processing technique!

The purpose of treating cocoa with an alkalizing agent? To remove its bitter taste and infuse it with a darker and more uniform color.

The trade-off?

Cocoa beans processed with alkali loses the flavonoids and antioxidants found in raw cocoa nibs or very dark chocolate (think 85% cocoa).

You Ask, I Answer: Vitamin E

[In your multivitamin posting you mentioned excessive Vitamin E being harmful]. What kind of harm [specifically]?

I've been taking 1/2 a teaspoon full of wheat germ every day for the past 6 months or so.

Should I be worried? Scale it down a bit?

-- Anonymous
Via the blog

Although Vitamin E is an antioxidant, large amounts have been found to increase heart disease risk and act as pro-oxidants.

That said, let's put all this information into numbers.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for Vitamin E is 10 milligrams per day. Negative health consequences are seen with megadoses of 180 milligrams or more a day. That figure may sound absurdly high, but you will find supplements offering that amount.

Which brings me to another point -- you will often see Vitamin E listed in International Units.

When dealing with synthetic forms of the vitamin (supplements), you convert from IUs to milligrams by multiplying the IU value times 0.45. So, 180 milligrams is equal to 400 IUs.

Onto your other question.

Half a teaspoon of wheat germ contains approximately 0.4 milligrams, so it is by no means cause for concern.

I would suggest having an entire tablespoon each day -- it covers 20% of your daily requirement.

All You Need To Know About Antioxidants

Knowing my fondness for dark chocolate and almonds, a friend recently gifted me with, what else, a Perugina "dark chocolate & almonds" bar.

Later that day, prior to indulging in a post-dinner nibble, I scanned over the packaging.

Right above the nutrition facts was a small text box that read: "175 milligrams of antioxidants per serving."

You are already picturing my eyeballs rolling out of my eyes and down the kitchen floor, right?

Here's the thing. It's one thing to advertise certain chocolates as "healthier" by displaying their cocoa content, but displaying milligrams of antioxidants is really pushing it, for several reasons.

First of all, there is no set number for how many antioxidant milligrams should be consumed on a daily basis.

Secondly, the way most antioxidant content in food is measured is not in milligrams but by something known as ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity).

This is basically a test of how efficient a given food is at protecting cells from a radical known as the peroxyl radical.

As a sidenote, berries are among the highest ORAC scorers.

And then, of course, there's the whole "issue" of antioxidants. We are just now beginning to understand a little bit about them.

Many people, however, think they're doing themselves a favor by happily downing whatever antioxidant supplement drugstores or supplement shops are happily shilling.

Not so fast.

Let's start at the beginning.

Oxygen is a wonderful element that helps our cells function properly, but it also causes a problem.

When an atom or molecule in our body comes in direct contact with oxygen, it loses one electron (stick with me, I promise this won't turn into a chemistry lecture) and becomes "oxidized."

Although some oxidation is normal (remember, our cells are constantly dying and being replaced), free radicals are, basically, destructive atoms and molecules that are not happy about missing an electron.

They unleash their frustrations by running into cells and damaging them, unleashing a chain reaction of cell injury that can compromise DNA and set the stage for a variety of diseases and cancers.

What makes all of this even trickier is that a certain amount of free radicals in our body is actually a good thing, as they make up part of our immune system, fighting off any foreign substances.

When it comes to excess free radicals, though, this is where the approximately 6,000 current recognized antioxidants come into play.

Mind you, our body is able to produce some antioxidants. However, these are only able to take care of the free radicals that are the product of normal body functions.

They are certainly not equipped to handle the free radicals that are the product of environmental pollutants and smoking.

Antioxidants basically look for free radicals and give them an electron so they can go on their merry way and stop wreaking havoc.

Some are preventive, and stop a free radical cascade before it begins.

Others, known as "chain breaking," get in the middle of a free radical gang and break it up before more trouble ensues.

Antioxidants (including vitamins C and E) are pretty special because they can donate electrons and, rather than become free radicals, remain stable.

Believe it or not, antioxidant research is still fairly new, and a lot of questions still need to be answered.

What is known is that antioxidants are most effective when consumed in food (it is believed that they work better in combination with certain phytonutrients) and in conjunction with other antioxidants.

So, downing thousands of milligrams of Vitamin C doesn't automatically guarantee a free radical defeat.

This partially helps to explain why the issue of "variety" and "diversity" is often stressed in nutrition.

Red-colored fruits and vegetables offer very different antioxidants than green colored ones, which offer different ones from blue and purple ones.

This is why "eating the rainbow" is often encouraged -- it provides as diverse a nutrient and antioxidant pool as possible.

Similarly, the antioxidants in whole grains are different from the ones in legumes, which are different from the ones in fruits.

Clinical trials have shown that isolated antioxidants in pill form are not as effective as those in food; in fact, some preliminary studies have shown that high doses of supplemental antioxidants can actually cause further oxidation.

I know, my head is spinning too.

In the end, though, we come back to standard nutrition advice. Eat a diverse, mainly unprocessed plant-based diet. That never seems to be the culprit of anything.

And a note to the folks at Perugina chocolates: a single cup of coffee delivers about 750 milligrams of antioxidants, so 175 isn't exactly a mind-blowing figure...

Celebrities -- They're Just Like Us! They Follow Senseless Fad Diets!

During a long wait at the doctor's office today I picked up a recent issue of Us Weekly.

Lo and behold, I came across this weight-loss piece.

Turns out that former dancer Tracy Anderson -- who now trains Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow; the three are pictured alongside this post -- has created a "perfectly healthy" (her words, not mine) diet plan that promises a net loss of 20 pounds in just 6 weeks.

Anderson claims that "signature strategy" helps women achieve the "teeny-tiny dancer type" body so many of them desire.

Allow me to pull out my huge red flag.

Anything that promises readers to achieve a dancer's physique should make your BS detectors light up.

Talk about unrealistic expectations! Dancers achieve their bodies through years of intense training.

Let's not forget, too, that the dance world has very high rates of eating disorders. That figure is not just about eating grilled salmon and steamed veggies for dinner every night.

Someone carrying 50 extra pounds on their frame who does not exercise regularly should not be promised such an unrealistic result.

Oh, but wait, that's right -- Anderson claims to have independently tested 100 women (what a conveniently round number!) over the past 5 years.

Therefore she must know what she's talking about, right? Wrong.

Her "signature strategy" is nothing more than an alarmingly drastic caloric reduction (which we'll get to in a bit).

The plan strictly forbids processed foods, dairy, and spices. Red flag number TWO.

Anderson, who as far as I know is not a registered dietitian and has not studied nutrition, claims that dairy and spices result in bloating and upset the digestive system, thereby resulting in fat storage.

If she DID study nutrition, where did she get her degree? Bizarro University?

Spices are wonderfully healthy -- they offer a variety of nutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.

Furthermore, there is absolutely no evidence linking spices to bloating or fat storage.

As for dairy, unless someone is lactose intolerant, I don't see any reason for avoiding it, particularly fat-free dairy, which is a wonderful source of protein and calcium.

The second week of the plan mostly eliminates snacks, leaving dieters with three paltry meals.

One Wednesday, for instance, suggests:

BREAKFAST

1 cup nonfat rice milk
1 poached egg

LUNCH

1 slice whole wheat toast
2 strips veggie bacon
1/2 cup tomatoes
1/2 cup spinach

DINNER

3 - 5 oz. grilled seabass
1/2 cup steamed spinach

That adds up to approximately 850 calories! Well, yeah, you're bound to lose weight when you basically starve yourself.

Whatever happened to that "perfectly healthy" quote? This is anything but.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone telling you to eat sushi rolls without soy sauce needs to have their head checked (not to mention, why is sushi part of a plan that only allows whole grains?).

I know people do not turn to Us Weekly for the latest in health and nutrition research, but there needs to be some accountability here.

A meal plan such as this one -- very low in calories and nutrients -- should not be glamorized. This is basically a semi-starvation diet with two big celebrity names attached.

The three meals listed above contribute approximately 10 grams of fiber -- less than half a day's worth!

That day's worth of food only offers one serving of whole grains, very little vitamin E, not enough potassium, very little calcium, no Omega-3's.... I could go on and on.

As much as it often irritates me, I can accept the fact that celebrity mags will never shed the weight-loss pieces (they entice a lot of readers at the newsstand), but is too much to ask that they turn to respectable sources, like Registered Dietitians?

Or, at the very least, do 2 minutes of fact checking on whatever meal plan is being offered?

Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand were right -- ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Numbers Game: Answer

According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines Scientific Advisory Committee, 93 percent of the United States population does not meet the daily requirement for Vitamin E.

Since Vitamin E plays an important role as an antioxidant, low intake levels allow free radicals more of an opportunity to advance cellular damage.

It is worth nothing that this statistic is not relaying that 93 percent of the population has a vitamin E deficiency.

However, failing to meet daily requirements still has health consequences.

Adults need 15 milligrams (22 International Units) a day, and can rely on seeds, nuts, oils, and vegetables as good sources.

Take a look at this table, outlining the percentage of the daily value contributed by some foods:

Fortified cereals (1 cup): 50 - 70%
Almonds (1 oz.): 40%
Sunflower seeds (1 oz.): 30%
Peanut buter (2 Tbsp.): 20%
Tomato sauce (1/2 cup): 15%
Avocado (1 whole): 15%
Olive oil (1 Tbsp.): 12/5%
Broccoli (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Spinach (cooked, 1/2 cup): 6%
Mango slices (1/2 cup): 6%
Collard greens (cooked, 1/2 cup): 5%

Why swallow a pill when you can eat delicious foods in the name of health?

In The News: Olive Oil and Aging

Mariam Amash is an Israeli woman who claims to be 120 years old.

If this factoid is validated, it would make her the oldest documented person in the world.

When asked about her longevity secrets, one of Mariam's daughters pointed out that her mother drinks "a glass of olive oil every day."

Very well then.

Yesterday afternoon, Mary Kearl of AOL Body & Mind asked me about that claim, as well as the beneficial properties of olive oil.

Read the article -- including my comments -- here.

PS: There is a slight "quoting error" I notified the author about.

I had mentioned that the Food & Drug Administration does not test imported oils, but the article erroneously identifies the United States Department of Agriculture as the organization.

You Ask, I Answer: Resveratrol

What is your view on resveratrol? Are you opposed or open to the idea of taking resveratrol daily for its alleged significant benefits?

-- Guy Betterbid
New York, NY

Resveratrol is an antioxidant found in significant quantities in the skins of red grapes and, subsequently, in red wine.

The popular "French paradox" claims that one reason why French adults have lower rates of cardiovascular disease despite consuming a high-fat diet is due to their consistent consumption of red wine.

Touted by some as an anti-cancer agent, resveratrol (which is actually produced by plants' immune systems when attacked by certain bacteria or fungi) soon became a hot supplement.

I personally wouldn't recommend you rush out to GNC and start buying it, though.

I am always skeptical when one component of a food (in this case, resveratrol -- found in grapes, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) is isolated and expected to function the same way as when it is accompanied in its original packaging (in this case, an actual grape).

Remember that supplements are not regulated by any agency. Studies have shown that the amount of concentrated resveratrol is supplements widely ranges from one company to another.

There truly isn't enough research of this supplement on humans to recommend it. In fact, there are no long-term studies, and the short-term ones performed on rats appear to show that high concentrations of resveratrol might overwork the liver.

You're better off having a handful of grapes or berries every day (or, if you already drink, having a glass of red wine every day) to get your share of resveratrol.